Choose your Challenge Award Project

If you’re interested in going beyond your local area and connecting globally, there are several ways to get involved depending on how adventurous you feel and what kind of experience you want.
If you’re feeling very adventurous and want a significant personal challenge, you could take on something like completing your Explorer Belt, which offers a self-led international expedition. If you prefer a shared experience, attending a large international event such as a Jamboree or Roverway, or visiting an International Scout Centre like Kandersteg, gives you the chance to meet Scouts from all over the world and experience new places together.

If you’re somewhat adventurous but not looking for a large expedition, you might prefer a smaller or more flexible international connection. This could include taking part in JOTA/JOTI (and supporting younger sections to get involved), organising or attending an international-themed camp or exchange, or even going to a UK-based Jamboree to still experience global Scouting without travelling far.

If you’re more interested in learning and exploring ideas than travelling, you could focus on understanding cultures, diversity, and global issues. This might involve running an international evening, connecting with a pen pal, exploring cultural diversity and inclusion, or learning about global politics through activities like running a mini Model United Nations or hosting debate nights on world issues.

If you’re motivated to take action rather than just learn, you could run events or projects with an international focus. This could include organising cultural celebrations, leading discussions or workshops, fundraising for global causes, supporting others (such as helping younger sections take part in JOTA/JOTI), or delivering international-themed programmes.

If you’d like to focus on your local community, you can shape your experience based on whether you want to help, create, improve, learn, take action, or lead. 

If your goal is to help people directly, you might volunteer at a local community centre, food bank, youth club, or charity. If you prefer to create something new, you could design a digital tool or community resource, or develop a programme or activity series for your Unit or a younger section.

If you want to improve your community, you could focus on accessibility and inclusion by carrying out an audit and acting on your findings, run wellbeing or mental health activities, or organise environmental improvements like litter picks or sustainability projects.

If you’re more interested in learning first, you could explore areas such as UK politics and decision-making, take part in Parliament Week, or study environmental issues and sustainability through things like the Earth Tribe award. You might also focus on digital safety and help others build their skills in this area.

If you want to take action, you could fundraise for a cause you care about or contribute to ongoing campaigns such as climate action or equality. If you’d prefer to lead or influence others, you might support a younger Scout section in achieving their Community Impact stages, or run awareness sessions for a wider audience on topics such as online safety or global issues.

If you’re preparing for work or building life skills, your journey will depend on your starting point and what you want to develop.

If you’re just starting out, building confidence in applications and interviews is key. You could practise writing CVs, using the STAR method, and doing mock interviews. As you gain experience, you could strengthen your CV by helping to organise events within Scouts, taking on responsibilities that demonstrate teamwork and leadership.

If you’re already working or applying for roles, you might focus on gaining real-world experience through part-time work or volunteering, reflecting on the skills you’re developing along the way.

If you’re interested in digital or creative skills, you could learn to code and build a website, create a digital resource for your community, write creatively, or develop a blog or portfolio to share your ideas.

For everyday life skills, you might build independence by learning to drive, planning trips, managing budgets, or improving your cooking, potentially sharing your skills by running sessions for others.

If you want to build confidence in communication and leadership, you could take part in debates, practise public speaking, teach others by running workshops, solve problems through project-based learning, or organise events and activities. Tracking your progress over time through a skills log can help you reflect on your development.

If you want to develop as a leader, you can choose whether to focus on leading others, influencing ideas, or growing yourself.

If you want to lead others directly, you might work with younger sections by completing your Young Leader Belt or taking on a regular support role. You could also lead sessions, activities, or clubs, or help run parts of larger events such as District or County activities.

If you prefer working with peers or the wider community, you could take on roles that involve organising activities, running events, or supporting group initiatives.

If you’re interested in leading change or representing others, you might get involved in youth forums, gather feedback from young people, and present ideas to leaders. You could also design and lead projects that improve your group or community.

If your focus is personal growth, you might explore different leadership styles, learn from inspirational figures, reflect on your own strengths and areas for development, and create a structured plan with support from mentors or leaders.

If you’re looking for adventure, you can tailor your experience based on how bold you want to be and what type of exploration interests you.

If you enjoy discovering places close to home, you could explore local walking routes, map safe and interesting trails, or organise environmental improvements like clean-ups. If you’re drawn to large-scale adventures, you might take on a major expedition like the Explorer Belt or plan a group journey with a strong theme or challenge.

If your focus is trying new activities, you could experiment with a range of adventurous experiences such as water sports, climbing, caving, or team challenges. Alternatively, you could set yourself a goal of trying multiple new activities or creating your own “adventure bucket list.”

If you’d rather focus on wellbeing, you might explore creative outlets like journalling or blogging, or practise mindfulness and reflection through nature and meditation. You could also support others by volunteering at campsites, working towards activity permits, or helping organise and deliver outdoor activities.

If you want to explore your values, you can do this through reflection, action, or making a wider impact.

If you want to better understand yourself, you might reflect on your beliefs and experiences by creating a values journal or map, or exploring how your identity has been shaped. You could also learn from others by researching global changemakers or interviewing people in your community and sharing their perspectives.

If you want to live your values through action, you might commit to everyday behaviours that reflect what matters to you, or take on a focused project such as volunteering, campaigning, or supporting a cause.

If you’d rather use your voice, you could join discussions and debates, raise awareness through campaigns or presentations, and share your ideas with others.

If your goal is to make a difference, you could focus on your local community by volunteering or organising activities that bring people together, or look more broadly at global challenges such as equality, fairness, and sustainability, taking action or raising awareness in these areas.

What to focus on

• Helping Explorers find something they care about
• Supporting ideas that are realistic but still stretch them
• Encouraging ownership of the challenge

What to avoid

• Assigning or heavily steering their challenge
• Pushing them toward “safe” or standardised ideas
• Prioritising ease of evidence over meaningful experience

How you can support

• Use prompts like:
  • “What interests you most here?”
  • “What would make this feel worth doing?”
• Help shape ideas rather than replace them
• Reassure them that ideas can evolve after they start